Bungee Cord and Ratchet/Cambuckle Tie down with a Freely Rotatable Hook from 0° to 360

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a fastening apparatus with a hook that is freely rotatable from 0° to 360°, the apparatus comprises a cord body, a connecting assembly, and a hook, wherein the body is connected with the connecting assembly, and the hook is movably connected with the connecting assembly such that the hook may be freely rotated from 0° to 360°. The fastening apparatus may include a hook on each end of the cord body. In other embodiments, the fastening apparatus is provided as a tie-down where the cord body is a webbing and the apparatus incorporates an adjustable securing mechanism such as a ratchet or cam buckle. The rotatable hook feature increases the utility of the fastening apparatus because the apparatus is able to adapt or conform to varying requirements. Additionally, the operation of the fastening apparatus is easy and convenient. The fastening apparatus may be made more aesthetic by adding some decoration on the connecting assembly. The fastening apparatus may be made more durable by forming the connecting assembly utilizing an injection molding technique.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a fastening apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fastening apparatus with a hook that is freely rotatable from 0° to 360°, allowing for numerous angles of latching capability. The fastening apparatus includes but is not limited to a bungee cord, a ratchet or cam buckle tie down, or a baggage belt.

2. Background

A generally commonly used fastening apparatus includes a bungee cord which comprises a hook on each end of polypropylene wrapped elasticized rubber strands. There are many instances where a bungee cord is useful. For example, it can aid in latching down a hatch of an overfilled trunk bed, or to secure down loose objects. However, a conventional bungee cord has exposed metal hooks which are fixed at each end. This results in several inconveniences. Over a period of use, the thin metal hooks will bend and lose its form because of constant load. Another problem is that the exposed metal surfaces of the hooks can damage the objects which users are latching the hooks to, while rusting may also occur due to the lack of protection on the hooks. Furthermore, the hooks are fixedly attached to the elastic section of the cord, consequently bringing limitations in usage since the hooks cannot be adjusted. As such, the bungee cord is inhibited from providing the most optimal fastening and connecting functions and at the same time suffers from reduced stretching capabilities as the twisting action on the fixed hook unnecessarily overstretches the cord.

Another generally used fastening apparatus includes a ratchet buckle or cam buckle tie-down which comprises one or more hooks on each end of the strap/webbing, wherein the webbing is threaded through a ratchet/cam buckle. There are many instances where users can use a tie-down apparatus having a ratchet/cam buckle tie-down as similarly used with the above-described bungee cord. However, similarly, a conventional ratchet/cam buckle tie-down has fixed S-hooks, therefore bringing limitations in its usage. The fixed hooks create limitations as the webbing may need to be twisted for the S-hook to latch, and thus cannot provide the most optimal fastening and connecting functions. This twisting action creates an inconvenience to the user since the fixed S-hooks are inhibited from latching on in situations of difficult angles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a fastening apparatus such as a bungee cord or ratchet/cam buckle tied down with a hook that is highly adjustable in usage angle and more convenient to use.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above problems are solved by a fastening apparatus having one or more hooks that are freely rotatable from 0° to 360°. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a fastening apparatus such as a bungee cord is provided comprising: a cord body, a connecting assembly, and a hook, where the cord body is connected with the connecting assembly, and the hook is movably connected with the connecting assembly such that the hook may be freely rotated from 0° to 360°. In order to prevent exposure of a steel hook, higher duty steel is incorporated to eliminate deformation of the hook, and the hook is encased in plastic through an injection molding process. As a result, the hook is protected from exposure and rust and can be used without marring the objects it is fastened to. A bungee cord with a freely rotatable hook according to an embodiment of the present invention allows users to efficiently adjust the hook to the required angle of usage without compromising the stretching ability of the bungee cord.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a tie-down apparatus is provided comprising a webbing, a connecting assembly and a hook, where the webbing is attached to the connecting assembly and the hook is movably connected with the connecting assembly such that the hook may be freely rotated from 0° to 360°. The tie-down apparatus further comprises an adjustable securing mechanism such as a ratchet/cam buckle. The tie-down apparatus may incorporate more than one connecting assembly and more than one rotatable hook.

As such, the bungee cord or ratchet/cam buckle tie down with freely rotatable hook in accordance with embodiments of the present invention have increased flexibility for adaptation and the operation of these fastening apparatuses becomes easier and more convenient. Furthermore, the utilization of injection molding techniques allows for multiple designs to be applied to the connecting assembly or other components of the fastening apparatus. The molding process thereby provides for decorative application to the apparatus while at the same time provides more strength to the connecting assembly as compared to previous assemblies.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the connecting assembly further comprises a top assembly member, a bottom assembly member and a connecting member, wherein the connecting member is positioned within a combination of the top assembly member and the bottom assembly member, and a terminal of the hook is constrained in a U-shaped groove of the connecting member. In an embodiment, the connecting member is a metallic connecting member.

According to another embodiment, the cord body of the fastening apparatus comprises a flat rubber meshbelt and a nylon belt, wherein the nylon belt is looped to encase the flat rubber meshbelt on two surfaces and is fastened by sewing to the flat rubber meshbelt. The sewing is secured by utilizing a sewing machine. A steel pin is inserted into the loop formed by the nylon belt, and then installed into a hooked channel of the connecting member.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cord body of the fastening apparatus (bungee cord) comprises a cylindrical rubber meshbelt, and the connecting assembly comprises a top structural member and a bottom structural member, wherein a terminal end of the hook is positioned within a combination of the top structural member and the bottom structural member. A steel pin traverses through the cylindrical rubber meshbelt laterally and is installed within the combination of the top structural member and the bottom structural member together with the cylindrical rubber meshbelt.

According to another embodiment, the body further comprises a plastic sleeve member covering the flat rubber meshbelt. According to another embodiment, the connecting assembly is made of plastic by injection molding. According to another embodiment, the hook is formed with a steel wire hook covered with plastic by injection molding.

The fastening apparatus with a hook in accordance with the present invention has the advantage of the hook being freely rotated from 0° to 360° because of the particular design of the cord body or webbing being fixedly connected to the connecting assembly, allowing the hook to be rotated unrestricted. This feature increases the utility and flexibility of use of the fastening apparatus because the apparatus is able to adapt or conform to varying requirements.

These and other embodiments of the present invention are further made apparent, in the remainder of the present document, to those of ordinary skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to more fully describe embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are not to be considered limitations in the scope of the invention, but are merely illustrative.

FIG. 1 illustrates a fastening apparatus with a rotatable hook in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic structural diagram of the fastening apparatus as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a exploded partial side view of the fastening apparatus with a hook in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial top view with detail cross-sectional view of the top view of the fastening apparatus with a hook in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a fastening apparatus with a rotatable hook in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded schematic structural diagram of the fastening apparatus as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional side view of the fastening apparatus with a hook in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a fastening apparatus with a rotatable hook in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the fastening apparatus as shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the fastening apparatus as shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the fastening apparatus as shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an exploded partial side view of the fastening apparatus as shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is an exploded schematic structural diagram of the fastening apparatus as shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a fastening apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a cord body 1, a connecting assembly 2 and a rotatable hook 3. FIG. 2 illustrates the fastening apparatus in an exploded view showing the connecting assembly 2 further comprising a top assembly member 4, a bottom assembly member 5 and a connecting member 6. The top and bottom assembly members 4, 5 may be made of a plastic material and the connecting member 6 may comprise of a metallic material. The connecting member 6 is positioned on the bottom assembly member 5. A terminal end 7 of the hook 3, which is formed with a steel wire covered with plastic, is constrained in a U-shaped groove 8 of the metallic connecting member 6.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the body 1 comprises a strap 9 and a nylon belt 10, wherein the nylon belt 10 encases the strap 9 on two surfaces, and is fastened to the strap 9 utilizing a sewing means. The strap 9 may comprise a flat rubber cord having a rubber core wrapped in a polypropylene jacket. The nylon belt 10 is sewn to the strap 9 in a way that the nylon belt 10 is folded to sandwich the flat strap 9, while leaving a vacancy to form a loop at the end. A steel pin 11 is inserted into the loop formed by the nylon belt 10, and is installed together with the nylon belt 10 in a hooked channel 12 of the metallic connecting member 6. The top assembly member 4 and the bottom assembly member 5 are assembled into a combination. Thus, the hook 3 is effectively connected with the body 1 via the connecting member 6 and the steel pin 11, and the hook 3 may be freely rotated from 0° to 360°.

Alternatively, the connecting assembly 2 is encased in a plastic handle member 14 formed by injection molding, to protect and contain the hook terminal 7, and encase the top assembly member 4, the bottom assembly member 5 and the metallic connecting member 6. In addition, a handle member sleeve or extension 13 is slipped over the nylon belt 10 and attached with the handle member 14. This further results in a product more aesthetic in appearance and more convenient in use. The same components may be applied to another end of the cord body 1 to form a fastening apparatus having two rotatable hooked ends.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, a fastening apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention comprises a cylindrical cord body 16, a connecting assembly 15 and a hook 3. The hook 3 is formed with a steel wire covered by plastic through injection molding. As shown in the exploded view of FIG. 6 the connecting assembly 15 further comprises a top structural member 17 and a bottom structural member 18. A terminal end 7 of the hook 3 and the cylindrical cord body 16, are encased in and coordinated with the inner planes defined in the top structural member 17 and the bottom structural member 18 respectively. Thus the terminal end 7 of the hook 3 is constrained in a combination of the top structural member 17 and the bottom structural member 18, and can be freely rotated from 0° to 360° inside the combination. A steel pin 19 traverses through the cylindrical cord body 16 laterally and is installed within the combination of the top structural member 17 and the bottom structural member 18, to secure it within the connecting assembly 15 and connect it with the hook 3.

Alternatively, after the connecting assembly 15 is put together, a plastic handle member 20 formed through injection molding encases the assembly 15 to protect and further secure the hook 3 and structural members together. This also results in a product more aesthetic in appearance and more convenient in use. Similarly, the same structure may be applied to the other end of the cord body 16 to form a fully assembled fastening apparatus having two rotatable hooked ends in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 8-13, a fastening apparatus comprising a tie down in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. As shown in FIGS. 11-13, the tie down comprises a rotatable hook 30, a connecting assembly body 50, and a webbing 60. The connecting assembly body 50 is further comprised of a main connecting assembly member 40, a top connecting assembly member 45, and a bottom connecting assembly member 48.

FIG. 11 illustrates the components that comprise hook 30 including a rigid metal hook 35 such as steel, encased in plastic covering 100 formed by injection molding. As shown in FIG. 13 in the exploded view with the bottom side up, the connecting assembly body 50 encompasses the main connecting assembly member 40, a top connecting assembly member 45, and a bottom connecting assembly member 48, along with the terminal ball-end 7 of the hook 30. The terminal ball-end 7 of the hook 30 is fit into the U-shaped groove 8 of the main connecting assembly member 40, with the terminal ball-end 7 of the hook 30 and main connecting assembly member 40 contained by the top connecting assembly member 45 and bottom connecting assembly member 48. The structure provides for the hook 30 to be freely rotated from 0° to 360°

By way of injection molding, connecting assembly body 50 securely holds the main connecting assembly member 40, the top connecting assembly member 45, the bottom connecting assembly member 48 and the terminal ball-end 7 of hook 30.

The connecting assembly body 50 features an aperture 55 for which the webbing 60 is threaded through and folded around onto itself and held together through a sewing process to form a loop 65 and be fixedly attached to the assembly body 50. The same structure and components apply to other ends of a webbing with connecting assemblies and hooks linked by an adjustable securing mechanism such as a single ratchet or a cam buckle. As such, the tie down apparatus with fully rotatable hook may be incorporated with ratchets and cam buckles and provide for optimal fastening and connecting without limiting the users ability to latch in various angles.

Throughout the description and drawings, example embodiments are given with reference to specific configurations. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms. Those of ordinary skill in the art would be able to practice such other embodiments without undue experimentation. The scope of the present invention, for the purpose of the present patent document, is not limited merely to the specific example embodiments of the foregoing description, but rather is indicated by the appended claims. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents within the claims are intended to be considered as being embraced within the spirit and scope of the claims. 

1. A fastening apparatus comprising a cord body, one or more connecting assemblies and one or more rotatable hooks; each connecting assembly having an outer end and an inner end with the inner end fixedly connected to an end of the cord body; and each hook having a terminal end movably connected to the outer end of one of the connecting assemblies, such that the hook is freely rotatable from 0° to 360°.
 2. The fastening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each connecting assembly comprises a top assembly member, a bottom assembly member and a metallic connecting member, wherein the metallic connecting member is connected between the top assembly member and the bottom assembly member, and the terminal end of one of the hooks is constrained in a U-shaped groove of the metallic connecting member.
 3. The fastening apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cord body comprises a flat rubber core; a nylon belt sewn onto two surfaces of an end of the cord body to encase the end and form a loop; and a steel pin laterally inserted into the loop and installed into a hooked channel of the metallic connecting member.
 4. The fastening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cord body comprises a cylindrical rubber cord, and each connecting assembly comprises a top structural member and a bottom structural member, wherein a terminal end of a hook is encased between the top structural member and the bottom structural member, and the cylindrical rubber cord is secured inside the connecting assembly with a steel pin traversed laterally through the cylindrical rubber cord.
 5. The fastening apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the flat rubber core is polypropylene wrapped and the cord body further comprises a plastic sleeve member covering the nylon belt.
 6. The fastening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each connecting assembly is encased by a plastic shell formed by injection molding.
 7. The fastening apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each connecting assembly is encased by a plastic shell formed by injection molding.
 8. The fastening apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each connecting assembly is encased by a plastic shell formed by injection molding.
 9. The fastening apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each connecting assembly is encased by a plastic shell formed by injection molding.
 10. The fastening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each hook is formed of steel and covered with a plastic by injection molding.
 11. The fastening apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each hook is formed of steel and covered with a plastic by injection molding.
 12. The fastening apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each hook is formed of steel and covered with a plastic by injection molding.
 13. The fastening apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each hook is formed of steel and covered with a plastic by injection molding.
 14. The fastening apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each hook is formed of steel and covered with a plastic by injection molding.
 15. A tie-down apparatus comprising a webbing having a first end and a second end, one or more connecting assemblies, one or more hooks, and an adjustable securing mechanism, such that at least one of the connecting assemblies is fixedly connected with an end of the webbing and at least one of the hooks is movably connected with the at least one connecting assembly such that the hook may be freely rotated from 0° to 360°.
 16. The tie-down apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the rotation of each hook encompasses every degree of rotation from a stationary position
 17. The tie-down apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each connecting assembly comprises of a top connecting assembly member, a bottom connecting assembly member and a main connecting assembly member, wherein the main connecting assembly member is positioned between the top assembly member and the bottom assembly member, wherein a terminal ball end of the hook rests in a U-shaped groove of the main connecting assembly member.
 18. The tie-down apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the main connecting assembly member comprises an aperture through which an end of the webbing is looped around and sewn to itself forming a loop at the end of the webbing which is connected to the aperture of the main connecting assembly body.
 19. The tie-down apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the securing mechanism is a ratchet.
 20. The tie-down apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the securing mechanism is a cam buckle.
 21. The tie-down apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each hook is formed from a metal and covered with plastic by injection molding.
 22. The tie-down apparatus according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the connecting assemblies is encased by a plastic member formed by injection molding. 